• Policies and Procedures Manual for the Assistive Devices Program

• Policy and Administration Manual - Communication Aids
• Policy and Administration Manual - Hearing Devices
• Policy and Administration Manual - Insulin Pump and Supplies
• Policy and Administration Manual - Limb Prostheses
• Policy and Administration Manual - Maxillofacial Extraoral Prostheses
• Policy and Administration Manual - Maxillofacial Intraoral Prostheses
• Policy and Administration Manual - Mobility Devices
• Policy and Administration Manual - Ocular Prostheses
• Policy and Administration Manual - Orthotic Devices
• Policy and Administration Manual - Pressure Modification Devices
• Policy and Administration Manual - Respiratory Equipment and Supplies
• Policy and Administration Manual - Visual Aids

The Assistive Devices Program (ADP) has significantly revised its agreement with ADP registered vendors. The new agreement:

• is better aligned with and supported by ADP’s policy and administration manuals,
• ensures that appropriate governance structures and controls are in place to manage public funds,
• provides stronger assurance that public funds are being managed and spent effectively by bringing the agreements into compliance with the government’s Transfer Payment Accountability Directive (TPAD), and
• results in less duplication of administrative requirements and less use of paper for vendors with more than one location and/or authorized category of devices.

The updated vendor agreement will meet ADP’s commitment to the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario to review its vendor agreement and bring it into compliance with the government’s TPAD. Among the goals of TPAD are to ensure that agreements between the Ontario government and transfer payment recipients: set out expectations, terms and conditions of funding to support good governance and value for money; and document the respective rights, responsibilities and obligations of the Province and the vendors.

This is the first significant revision of the agreement with ADP registered vendors since 2004.

In January 2012, the ADP held consultation sessions with a cross-section of ADP registered vendors, and with associations representing vendors, on the draft Vendor Agreement template.  Improvements were made to the draft Vendor Agreement template because of the comments provided.

The new template will bring ADP’s Agreements into compliance with the government’s TPAD and meet the ADP’s commitment to the OAG to review the Vendor Agreement.

All current Vendor Agreements will terminate on September 3, 2012.  The new Vendor Agreement will come into effect on September 4, 2012.  Vendors will be required to have signed and returned the new Agreement to the ADP by July 20, 2012 or the ADP will terminate the Vendor’s existing Agreement as of September 3, 2012.

All ADP registered vendors (except Home Oxygen) will be required to sign the new Agreements, in order to remain registered with the ADP.  Vendors of Home Oxygen signed a similar Agreement as other vendors, but their services were acquired through a Vendor of Record Agreement.  The new Vendor Agreement will not be implemented for Home Oxygen vendors at this time.

Consistent with the government’s Open for Business initiative to reduce burden on businesses, ADP will eliminate unnecessary sets of contracts.  Vendors will now have one contract that covers all of their locations and approved categories.  For vendors with more than one location, agreements are being sent to the head office only.  The head office enters into one agreement with ADP, on behalf of all of the vendor’s locations.

All current Agreements will terminate on September 3, 2012.  The new Agreement will take effect on September 4, 2012.  If an ADP registered vendor does not return the signed Vendor Agreement to the ADP within the timeframe allowed, the ADP will terminate their existing Agreement with the ADP.

The following approach will be used to communicate with ADP registered vendors:

• April 18, 2012: a memo was mailed to all vendors announcing the implementation of the new agreement.
• Week of June 4, 2012: a package containing the new Agreement and a summary document will be e-mailed to vendors.

During the week of June 4, 2012, ADP registered vendors will receive by e-mail a package containing the new Vendor Agreement and a summary document.  If an ADP registered vendor does not receive the package by June 11, 2012, the vendor should contact the ADP directly via email at adp@ontario.ca .

The ADP has designated a section of the ADP’s website for posting information and documentation pertaining to the rollout of the new Agreements including:  the memo to all Vendors announcing the implementation of the new Vendor Agreement; a copy of the new Agreement; a summary document; questions and answers; and updated Program manuals.

The new Vendor Agreement primarily affects vendors.  For other stakeholders, where information is not contained within these questions and answers, please contact the Program directly by phone, fax or email.

General Inquiries:    (416) 327-8804
General Inquiries/Toll Free:   1-800-268-6021
TTY:   1-800-387-5550
Fax:   (416) 327-8192
Email address:   adp@ontario.ca

Yes, there are changes to these Manuals. The ADP has updated the Manuals so they:

• reflect the changes in the new Vendor Agreement;
• provide new polices to assist Applicants, Clients and other stakeholders; and
• reflect the current procedures of the ADP.

Please see Appendix A for a list of new/revised polices contained in the Policies and Procedures Manual for the Assistive Devices Program.

For new/revised policies relating to specific devices, please review the device-specific Policy and Administration Manuals.

The current Polices and Procedures Manual for the Assistive Devices Program and the device specific Policy and Administration Manuals will become ineffective on September 3, 2012. The new Manuals will come into force on September 4, 2012.

During the week of June 4, 2012, all ADP registered vendors will receive a Vendor Agreement via email.  For additional information please review the vendor agreement template and agreement summary

If you have further questions, please contact the ADP at adp@ontario.ca .

When completing the Vendor Information Sheet, the vendor should record the business address for the vendor. If the address of the corporate head office is different from the vendor’s business address, the vendor can include a cover letter with the Vendor Information Sheet explaining the circumstances and providing the address for the corporate head office.

Yes, an ADP Registered vendor should complete one Vendor Information Sheet for each location.

1. The “Signing Officer” is the person who has the legal authority to bind the Vendor into a contractual agreement with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The Vendor’s Signing Officer will sign the new Vendor Agreement.
2. The ADP Contact Person is the employee who deals with the ADP on a regular basis.
3. Any employee of the Vendor can complete the Vendor Information Sheet.

The ADP Manual has been significantly reorganized to group topics together better.  This will make it easier for vendors and other users of the ADP Manual to find information.

In addition, page 2 of the ADP Manual features a new table.  Any significant changes to this version of the ADP Manual, after it comes into effect on September 4, 2012, will be listed in this table, so users can quickly determine what has been changed.

The new ADP Manual contains revised policies and introduces new Program-wide policies.  These additions fill gaps and codify previously unwritten policies.

Vendors are encouraged to review and become familiar with the complete ADP Manual, and ensure that their staff are aware of the policies and procedures.  The ADP has also changed some of the policies in the device specific Policy and Administration Manuals. To ensure that they are adhering to current policies, the Vendor should review the appropriate Policy and Administration Manuals.

Without detracting from the above, vendors may want to pay particular attention to changes in the Definitions, and new or changed policies:

Policy 220 – Replacement of Funded Devices
Part 6 – Vendors
Part 7 – Person Health Information
Policy 810 – Submitting the Completed Application
Part 6 – Invoice Processing and Payment
Policy 1000 – Appealing a Program Decision
Policy 1005 – Complaints

The full list of new or significantly changed policies is below: